Moving On
by Jet.Black.Stars
Summary: New WhoFic: Rose's life after Doomsday. SPOILERS, of course. Please R&R.
1. A Banana A Day

_Disclaimer: The BBC owns Doctor Who and all characters. I do not own the Doctor, Rose, any of the Tylers (apart from Rose's baby brother – although he wasn't my idea), Mickey, or Torchwood, nor do I own the parallel Earth – or the Doctor's love of bananas. I do, however, own Rose's slippers._

_A/N: Well, this is going to be a slightly longer Fic than I've had before – just a 'normal' day for Rose, explaining her situation around a year after Doomsday. I'm hoping to develop the story a little further, by adding more chapters etc. but I want to see how this goes down before I make any promises._

_Dedication: Dedicated to my sister, Laura, who shares my love of Doctor Who, and has a larger sticker collection than I do._

Moving On

Chapter One: A Banana A Day

"Oh God, not again!"

Rose Tyler raised her head from her numerous pillows and grabbed her mobile phone from her bedside table where it was vibrating madly. "Hello?"

"Rose! About time, I've been callin' for hours!"

Rose rolled her eyes and checked her watch wearily. "You can't have been, Mickey, it's only seven-thirty."

"Not hours then, but for a long time!"

"Yeah, yeah," Rose giggled, running a hand through her already tousled hair and raising herself into an upright position. "What is it?"

"Just to say good mornin', that's all. Just...to check you're okay."

"Yes, Mickey, I'm fine. Thanks for calling – I'll see you at work."

"Alright, Rose. Take care."

Rose replaced her phone and switched off her alarm which had just started to ring in the same irritating fashion that it did each morning. Rose hated alarms. The problem was that they woke you up – if your friends didn't get to you first, that was. She was grateful, though, that Mickey had rung – it had become a routine and was a nicer way of waking up than being jolted into consciousness by a harsh alarm – or by the screams of her baby brother. Her mother had bought her a beautiful alarm clock for Christmas – an old fashioned clock with an expensive-looking beaded frame and ornately carved hands, but Rose had put it away a few days later, after dreaming about the Doctor and clockwork Droids for several consecutive nights.

Rose had finally got to grips with the fact that the Doctor wasn't coming back for her. She knew she loved him – she knew she'd always loved him, but after months of mourning her loss and willing him to return, she'd almost accepted that she'd never see him again. Every so often she was aware of a hope somewhere at the back of her mind, a hope that he'd appear to her and take her away in the TARDIS; take her back to her old world, where they could carry on as normal.

Not that she hated the new world. It had been hard, accepting that she now had a father again. She knew that she loved him – and she had him back, she finally had him – but it had been difficult seeing her mother just let him back into her life. She could see that she was happy, and she was pleased, but in some ways she was jealous – jealous that her mother was no longer only hers, and that she had to share her – share her with someone she barely knew, but who her mother knew and loved to bits.

Mickey had helped her, of course. She'd always known that he would – he'd just stand by her, loyally. At first he'd been unsure – and she'd been cold and unfeeling, not wanting to let him back into her life. Gradually, however, she'd let him get closer to her, but now he wasn't a boyfriend, wasn't a lover – just a good friend, almost like a brother. She'd forgotten what it was like to have fun with youths her age – she'd grown up a lot with the Doctor, although they'd laughed and been immature back in the TARDIS.

Back in the TARDIS...it seemed so long ago, such a happy period in her life, but it had some surreal quality to it, as if it had never quite happened. She'd forgotten periods – she couldn't quite recall the events back with the Werewolf, although it was a fond memory that she had, competing with the Doctor to convince Queen Victoria to say her famous few words. She could remember meeting Sarah-Jane Smith, but the business with the chips and numerous explosions inside the school had become a blur – although she couldn't forget how hurt and worried she had felt when she'd realised that the Doctor just...dropped people, and left them – and how relieved she'd been when he'd told her he wouldn't drop her.

She was grateful to him for that. He hadn't dropped her, he would never have dropped her. He'd burned up a star to say goodbye to her, and the look on his face...the look when she'd had to let go of that handle, slip away from him and lose him forever...it haunted her, but she knew – she knew he'd never have left her. He'd wanted to keep her, she had seen it in his face back at the beach – and when he'd said her name, after she'd told him how she felt about him...

Rose sighed mournfully, before shaking her head. No, it was better buried and forgotten. She'd relived her goodbye to the Doctor too many times, far too many times. She couldn't forget him, of course – she couldn't forget any of the times they'd shared in the TARDIS, and his flirtatious comments. He'd taught her a lot, and she hadn't forgotten that. He'd taught her to be brave, to stand up for what she believed in, and he'd taught her what love was, pure, unselfish love. She could never love another like that – and that was part of the explanation for her current relationship – or lack of – with Mickey. Rose would never love again, not like that, but she was glad. It was part of her tribute to the Doctor, a tribute to his memory – less of a sacrifice, but of a gift to him. She was simply sorry that he'd never know it.

Stretching, she stepped out of bed and placed her feet in her fuzzy slippers that now had a permanent spot on the carpet, just where her feet would land when she rose in the morning. They were special slippers to her – made out of a brown suede material – indescribably ugly for a pair of slippers, but with a royal blue lining – just like the Doctor's coat. Her mother had tried many times to get her to buy a 'prettier pair', but Rose wouldn't let go of them – nor would she let go of the dark blue men's dressing-gown that she donned morning and evening.

A quick check of her watch ensured her that she had plenty of time to get ready for work – but all the same, she often arrived bright and early, and ready to tackle the next problem that faced her parallel Earth, her new homeland. Running into the ensuite bathroom (this had been a welcome addition in her new life, now that the family actually had some money), and almost forgetting her towel, she stepped into the shower and began to wash her hair.

She emerged some minutes later and dressed in a pair of smart black trousers and a blue shirt which complimented her glossy blonde hair and made her look bright and healthy. She no longer dyed her hair herself over the kitchen sink – it was professionally done every so often, although it was the same length – just brushing the tops of her shoulders. The Doctor had liked it like that, he'd said that if it was any longer, it would be easy for monsters to grab – and any shorter, she'd look like a man. She'd hit him, of course, and refused to speak to him until he had admitted that he had been joking and that she was thoroughly beautiful. She'd hit him again after she'd said that, although the blush in her cheeks and a cheeky grin had let the Doctor know that she was pleased with his compliment. He'd followed it up with one of his cheesy winks, and Rose had simply rolled her eyes and headed back to check on the Time Rotor, aware of his eyes following her all the way.

It was little things like this which brightened Rose's day. The memories no longer upset her, but cheered her up, made her laugh to herself. Nobody knew what she was smiling about, but her family and friends had become used to seeing her in a state of enlightenment and never questioned her motives.

Breakfast was never a hurried affair in the Tyler household, not any more. A stack of waffles awaited Rose as she slipped into a seat at the table in the large dining room, and she helped herself happily, giving her little brother a spoonful of maple syrup and laughing at his bemused expression as he tried to get to grips with the sweet taste tickling his tongue. Rose's mother joined her a few minutes later, and Pete Tyler was the last to join the family at the table, as usual, with his tie undone and his shirt done up with the wrong buttons. Jackie Tyler rolled her eyes when she saw this, and began to fuss over her husband, rebuttoning his shirt for him and tying his tie neatly, following it up with a short kiss. Rose watched this display with an expression of distaste before hurriedly gulping down half a glass of orange juice, stuffing in the last waffle, and announcing, with her mouth full, that she was heading into work early today.

"As usual," Jackie commented, kissing her daughter on the top of her head and handing her an apple.

Rose shook her head. It was silly, she knew, but she hadn't touched apples since she'd arrived in the new world. 'An apple a day keeps the Doctor away...' – the phrase had haunted her, and she grabbed a banana from the fruit bowl with a grin and headed out of the door, leaving a bemused Jackie behind her.

"I dunno why she'll never eat these – they used to be her favourite fruit!" her mother complained to her husband, who rolled his eyes and took a large bite out of the rosy red fruit.


	2. Coffee and Tears

_Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I own nothing, except for the Depp-lookalike receptionist who, if he's anything like the one I saw in Italy, is bloody gorgeous! And I also own Rose's blue shirt. Except...mine's stripey._

_A/N: Well, here you are. More. Couldn't help myself, really. I now have an interesting idea for where this is going, but I'd like reviews for this chapter first, 'cause if it goes down badly...well...meh. Sorry about the angst, but Rose has never...well, you'll see, but it strikes a nerve for her, poor girl, and she is still mourning for the Doctor. I think we can all understand that. It's a little slow-moving but I promise there is action to come. I think. Anyway, read, review and hopefully enjoy._

_Replies: To all who reviewed, merci beaucoup, and hopefully his will satisfy all. Jessa, thanks for reading it, and I'm glad you'll read this part. Hopefully I'll have you to read the next part too! ShrinkingViolet, yes! Okay! I haff, and I will! Thanks for the enthusiasm! And Miko, thanks for the review...so sorry about more angst rubbish in this, but...this is ONE of the last major bits of angst...I think...anyway, our dear Rose can deal with it. Poor girl. I like bananas too! Funnily enough, when I was younger, I used to hate 'em, but after seeing our darling Tenth stuffing himself with bananas, I felt that I had to try one...and realised what I'd been missing! I like apples too, though. :) Yes, and poor Rose is resigned. Well, don't we all, in the end? Pity...still, this is no time for my own angst. So enjoy. :)_

_Dedication: This one's dedicated to my parents, who are always there for me and who could never quite understand my obsession with the Johnny-Depp-lookalike receptionist. Well, come on...either stare at modern art or an Italian Depp. What would you pick!_

Moving On

Coffee and Tears 

It was already warming up fast when Rose stepped outside: it looked like it was going to be another very hot day. Rose didn't mind though, but simply rolled up her shirt sleeves and tossed her hair back behind her shoulders so it wouldn't get in her way. The good thing about working at Torchwood was that, although there was office work and paperwork to be done, most of it was moving about, handling objects, going out to investigate, and some of it was working outside. Although Rose was never keen on working outside in the rain – and the first Christmas had been tough, especially without the Doctor there to help her – she enjoyed working on sunny days and was now hoping that there'd be something for her to sort out that wouldn't involve being stuck inside.

The Doctor had taught her a great deal of very useful things during their travels together, and Rose had remembered these and now applied them to her job in Torchwood. She'd needed guidance, of course, with technology that she'd never seen before, but she'd been able to teach those at the company a good deal, too. Of course, they all respected her – Rose, the one who had actually been with the Doctor, the one who had seen what the Doctor had seen, the one who had been trusted by him – and, it was rumoured, the one who the Doctor had loved. There were tales of some terrible tragedy which had befallen her, although it was never actually known what had happened. There were those who avoided her, unsure of what to say if the subject of the Doctor was ever brought up, who Rose longed to slap and force to look at her, and those who were overly comforting and protective, who Rose also wanted to hit – but force away from her.

Still, Rose thought to herself as she approached the tall buildings of what the public knew as Canary Wharf, the subject of the Doctor hardly came up, not when she was around anyway – and, if it did, she'd learned to deal with it, and learned to share what she knew about him – within reason, of course. Rose would always be proud of the fact that she knew things about the Doctor which others would never know – and she would keep those to herself until the grave.

Sidestepping an American Flag which someone seemed to have left on the steps, Rose approached the entrance to the headquarters of Torchwood, swiping her electric-blue security card to allow her to enter. There was a small beep and a click as her identity was recognised, and the glass doors swung open to allow her into a spacious lobby with polished floors and a large, white reception desk. It reminded Rose of the hospital in New York which would be built years into the future – and there was even that same smell of cleanliness about the place. She nodded to the receptionist as she passed; a tall, handsome man who she had always thought bore resemblance to Johnny Depp. A blush rose in her cheeks as he nodded back to her, his eyes never leaving her face, but she hid it quickly with a toss of her head and moved on before she could make a fool of herself. She felt slightly angry with herself for feeling this way about someone, but inside, she knew it was just a childish crush that would pass as easily as the wind changed direction.

She was just stepping into the lift when there was a shout from the desk, and she stepped out of the small box, allowing the doors to close behind her, before approaching the Depp lookalike once again. "Hmm?"

"Ms Tyler, there's a message here for you. You're due to have a visitor today at two in the afternoon, sharp."

Rose stopped and tilted her head to one side. "A...visitor? No details, I suppose?"

"None," alter-Johnny replied. "Just the initials 'ZH'. Mean anything to you?"

"Nope," Rose replied, shaking her head while wondering who this mysterious stranger could be. "Nothing. S'pose I'll find out later then."

"Yes..." the receptionist replied, "I guess you will."

Rose was just turning to go when the man cleared his throat and she turned, curious. "Sorry, was there something else?"

"Yeah...um...Rose...I wondered – d'you fancy meeting for a coffee during a break? It'd be nice to...er...get to know you better."

Rose stopped in her tracks. Was he asking her out? This gorgeous human being, with cheekbones like...She shook her head. What was she doing? What the hell was she doing, looking at someone like this? Had she dropped her guard so much that a _receptionist _could get to her? She turned slowly back to face him, shaking her head.

"No."

Ah. That sounded a bit harsh.

"I mean...well...I'm kinda busy at the moment, and...I'm sorry, Joh- er...I mean, I...I'm not really ready for this. You probably heard...me...and the Doctor...but...I'm sorry. I-"

The man looked a little glum, but tried to smile and smooth things over. "No matter, it doesn't matter. I'm sorry I asked. Good luck with your work, Ms Tyler."

That struck a nerve. "No, it's Rose. Don't do this – I really am sorry, you deserve better. But I...sort of...he...I can't let him...I love..."

Rose shook her head. She was confusing herself, and was once again thinking of the Doctor, her Doctor, or the Doctor who would never be hers. There was a lump in her throat and she could feel her eyes filling with tears. What was happening? She'd recovered so well...she'd pushed everything out of her mind, and now she struggled desperately to regain control. She nodded at the receptionist, who was now looking rather startled, and raced back towards the lift where she stepped inside, into the protection of the small room.

Once inside, Rose leant on the handrail, refusing to let herself command the lift to go to her office until she'd regained her composure. She couldn't believe she'd just lost it like that, but, she supposed, it was inevitable that it'd happen one day. Still, at least she'd learned this time. She'd be more fair next time, firm but fair.

Stepping out of the lift, Rose headed around the corner and into her office, where Mickey was already sitting waiting for her.

"You alright?" Mickey always said this; it was the standard greeting, and Rose's reply was always the same.

"Right as rain," she grinned, and motioned to him to get out of her chair. "What've they got planned for me today then?"

"Nothin' much," Mickey replied. "Same ol' stuff, you know, random checks an' all that."

"Mmhmm, I know," Rose replied. "I've got to work on this new hydrogen-powered particle gun – just oversee the project, check on the chemical balances in the bullets, that sort of thing. And then I've supposedly got a visitor this afternoon."

Mickey shrugged. "Dunno anything about that. But should be interestin', yeah. Well, I'll leave you to get on with that, then. See you around, Rose."

The door closed behind him with a gentle click, and Rose organised herself at her desk, scooping up papers and filing them in the correct trays before drawing her laptop closer to her. "Right," she muttered. "Chemical compounds."


	3. Yvette's Announcement

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, apart from Yvette and the Deppalike, although Yvette was drawn upon from Yvonne. So I guess she's only half mine. The BBC owns all/most others, which is unfortunate, since if I did own 'em, Rose would find the Doctor, be whisked away and...well...you know what I'm thinking. Ooh. I own the tweezers though._

_Replies: Once again, thanks to all who reviewed...I really wasn't thinking to have this many on the first day of writing! I'm glad this is going down well – I've only really written PotterFic before and needed a change...and WhoFic appears to be my latest obsession. It's rather more satisfying to write. Anyway. _

_To Miko: We all like angst, don't we? I do have a problem with going compleeeetely over the top for a very long story...nobody wants to read every chapter of people crying and screaming and dying – unless that's the point of the story. But our Rose is strong and luffly. You want to know who ZH is? Well, you'll just have to WAIT. :P_

_Alexia...ooh indeed! Well, I couldn't resist, and I'm on summer hols now so I haff lots of spare time to write things! Glad you like it, and I shall keep going! _

_Saimhe: Aye, well, if you couldn't wait before, then hopefully I've managed to get you desperate to read the next bit. Hopefully. _

_Meryet: I'm afraid I can't give anything away (much as I long to tell you who he/she/it is) but I will be working on further chapters today, and might well update twice again. _

_Jessa, I know! Poor old Deppalike. Still, he wasn't as yummy as Johnny, and...everyone gets rejected. Rose is still hurting, poor little thing, and she's not over the Doctor; it's just a crush...and she can't really ever see herself (and nor can I) loving another. Not even Mickey. But then...I've never been desperately keen on Mickey, as you may well be picking up. _

_So! To all, read and enjoy, and I've made this section far too long. Still, I enjoy writing this bit. :)_

_A/N: Ooh, well. I'm sorry. Firstly, I'm very very sorry. I've set the whole chapter up to be a suspenseful chapter, as you'll be fully aware when you read it. It's ghastly of me, but it's necessary. Maybe. The story will get moving in a bit, I just wanted to get one of these in at the opportune moment. :)_

_Dedication: I dedicate this to Sophie, my almost-little-sister, as it's her Birthday today, and because she doesn't watch Doctor Who...which means that the Doctor is all MINE! And because she's fab._

Moving On

Yvette's Announcement

"Would all members of staff please report to Reception immediately. Would all members of staff please report to Reception immediately. Would all members of staff please report to Reception immediately."

"Alright, alright!" Rose muttered as the loud voice boomed through the laboratory she was working in and, presumably, she thought, through the rest of the Torchwood building. "Why you had to disturb us now, I have no idea."

Gently, she put down the tweezers which were designed to have an impossibly high melting point, as well as slipping the radioactive chemicals which she had been handling into one of the thick metal jars and placing the lid hurriedly on top, before dropping her white coat and running out of the lab at top speed, slamming the door behind her. The materials on the workbench jolted with the force of the sudden wind which had rushed through the room, and one or two jars and test-tubes were upset on the worktop.

Meanwhile, Rose was walking down the stairs which led to Reception, wondering what on Earth – or at least, the parallel one – could have caused the sudden announcement. It had to be something serious – after all, Torchwood couldn't just stop work every time something interesting happened. She was vaguely aware of footsteps behind her and turned to see Mickey hurrying down with a large gun in his hands.

"What's that for? Are we being attacked?"

"I dunno," Mickey replied solemnly, "But if we are, I wanna be prepared."

Rose shrugged and rolled her eyes. "Mickey, they're not going to like it..." she mumbled, and continued her descent.

Down in Reception, a large group of people were gathering. Torchwood was a large place, and all those who were in the building had been summoned. All of those outside had received a separate announcement through their earpieces, and had all gathered at the bottom of the steps. A shield had been placed around the building, so that the public just walked by without feeling that they had to join the crowd who were obviously expecting something to happen.

Rose nodded at Depp-Receptionist as she passed, hoping that she hadn't hurt his feelings too much earlier, and he nodded back but refused to meet her eyes. She bit her lip rather worriedly but decided that this wasn't the time to worry about that. Something else was happening; something huge.

The whole building began to shake slightly as something outside lowered itself onto the steps, and upstairs, the laboratory began to fill itself with fumes. The crowd that was gathering downstairs had begun to mutter among themselves, and the current boss of Torchwood had appeared and was now standing in front of the desk with a microphone in her hand.

Rose stepped forwards to attempt to get a better look, and was jostled by the crowd until she was at the front. Guiltily, she shrank back a little, wondering how Mickey would be taking this, but that didn't seem possible with her boss on the prowl.

"Rose!" Yvette (Yvonne's alter-self) exclaimed, pulling Rose into the middle of the circle and waving her arms dramatically. "We all know of Rose Tyler...everybody, a round of applause while we're waiting."

The entire room started clapping, and the noise was immense. Rose reddened and started to protest. "I...hang on, isn't this an emergency? What's going on? What do I-"

"Patience, my dear," Yvette whispered through gritted teeth, before turning on the microphone once more. "Now, since we all know what is happening-" ("I don't!" squeaked Rose) "- We know that our darling Rose is being visited by this wonderful creature."

"Creature? Visited?" Rose replied, blanching. "If this has to do with my visitor...he's...she's...it's...early!"

Yvette rolled her eyes and the arm settled around Rose's shoulders tightened to ensure that she could not escape. The building had begun to shake once more, and soon the entire workforce of Torchwood had turned to stare upwards through the open doors at the sky ahead. A large spaceship, flashy, with plenty of colours and sparkling lights, had appeared in the distance, and was zooming towards Torchwood with high acceleration. Rose could see by the fuzzy blue outlines that the ship was being shielded from the public, although, she presumed, on a dark night, those flashing lights would be seen through the shield – and would probably spark thousands of UFO reports.

The spaceship was closer now, and the crowd drew back from the door. Everybody seemed to be holding their breath as the ship zoomed through the front doors and came to a screeching rest on the polished floor. Rose wrinkled her nose at the slight smell of oil which had accompanied this entrance, but nobody else seemed to have noticed. All eyes were transfixed on the door which was now sliding very slowly open. There was a light behind the door, with the result that when somebody did appear, only a silhouette could be seen.

However...it was an unmistakeable silhouette, and Rose almost called out in shock.

Yvette smiled. "Ladies and Gentlemen, fellow colleagues, friends, and general workforce. Please welcome..."

The microphone cut out.


	4. Recognition?

_Disclaimer: I own nothing...except for...well, I don't really own much, put it that way. I do own the jacket that the visitor's wearing though. It's rather original._

_Replies: _

_Staticrhubarb: Fine. FINE! Your poking worked! I'm usually on the giving end of a poke, not the receiving one! Pokes._

_Dolly.the.sheep: Mickey's alright, I guess, but I don't think much of his character, that's all. Each to his/her own, I suppose! And...well, you'll find out more about this visitor in the nexct couple of chapters._

_Hannah: Here you are. :D You find out! Keep reading for more about him/her/it!_

_Ryalin: It was, wasn't it? Hehe...ooh, I love having you all in my clutches. Hopefully this'll satisfy you. Maybe._

_Hanging.by.a.moment: Ah, but I assumed you liked hanging:P Sorry about this...another cliffhanger at the end of this 'un. Though not as bad._

_HarpyQueens: I've considered it. I want you to know that I really have considered it, and this is the outcome: Read on!_

_ShrinkingVioletGirl: Hehe. You waited, and you shall now receive._

_Jessa: You try hunting me down, kiddo, and I'll just escape in my Time Machine. But I've updated so you have no reason to kill me._

_A/N: Here. The much awaited chapter. It was rather a surprise to see how many people were actually reading this, but keep going, my pretties! The more of you there are, the more I write. I thrive on encouragement...:D. And also on people being desperate to know more. POWER! Hopefully this'll satisfy you...although there's another cliffhanger at the end. That's all for now folks, but I expect I'll update at some point tomorrow._

_Dedication: This one's dedicated to my Mother. It just is. _

Moving On

Recognition?

It didn't matter though. To Rose, nothing could have mattered at that moment. Running forwards, she threw her arms around the visitor, much to the surprise of everyone else...and also to him. A few seconds later, she was thrown backwards and only managed to regain her balance at the last moment.

"Who the hell is this?" came a drawling voice, and, as the lights faded behind him, the American descended the steps. "I thought we weren't allowing members of the public to see me. Although...she is rather sexy, I'll have to admit that!"

Yvette, who had almost dropped the microphone when Rose had started forward, had now once again gained control and had managed to switch the microphone back on. "This, Ladies and Gentlemen, is Captain Harkness!"

There was a round of applause, and Yvette stepped forwards and grabbed Rose by the back of the collar. "What do you think you're doing, child? I know he's got an appointment with you, but it's about discussing a new project, not for finding yourself a boyfriend!"

"No, no, you don't understand," Rose started, feeling utterly ashamed of herself. "I know him, I know...or, I knew him. Captain Jack. He travelled with me and the Doctor..."

"Captain Jack? Kid, I never met him, but if he's as good looking as me, we'd better get an appointment ready. And I've never travelled with the Doctor in my life – although I'd like to."

"This," Yvette announced, stepping round behind Rose and bringing the Captain into Rose's view, "is Captain Zack Harkness."

"Captain Zack?" Rose looked puzzled for a moment, but her face fell as she remembered. "Of course, Captain Jack...Captain Zack. This is..." She suddenly realised that she was being stared at by both her boss and by the Captain. "I mean, nice to meet you, Captain. Sorry – I confused you with someone else...he looks...almost the same."

This was greeted with a grin and a conspicuous wink. "So, you're Rose then? Should be interesting, working on this project with you, Rose. I mean, it's not much, just improving deceleration rates of alien objects...you know what it's like when they hurtle towards planets, but...still...things should be...interesting..."

"Oh, Zack, darling!" fluttered Yvette as she jumped clear of Captain Zack's free hand which was wandering rather freely behind her. "Zack, we must get you a coffee...chop chop. And then Rose can take you upstairs. She's working in the lab at the moment...is that right?"

"Yeah, but I'll only be a minute," Rose nodded. "We'll stop there on the way, I'll just put the stuff away, but we can head over to my office a bit later."

"Very well," Yvette agreed. "Coffee first though." Snapping her fingers, she commanded the receptionist to bring steaming mugs of coffee for the three of them. Just as they were being handed out, Mickey strolled up, still carrying the gun.

"Ricky, is it?" Yvette greeted him, one eyebrow raised in a quizzical arch. "If you wouldn't mind, I'd like you to come with me."

"Sure, that's fine," Mickey replied, "And...it's Mickey."

"Mickey," Yvette responded. "Very well...just step this way. Rose, you lead the Captain upstairs."

As the two of them made their way into the lift, Rose took the opportunity to study Captain Zack. He had the same handsome face, prominent jawline and good figure, and was wearing black trousers and a leather jacket with an American flag sewn on the back. Just as the lift doors closed, the Captain began to speak in an urgent voice.

"Rose...are these lifts bugged?"

"You mean...as in...people listening in?" Rose replied. "No, don't think so, why?"

"There's something I've gotta tell you, quickly..."

The lift doors opened, and the Captain shook his head and made for the exit. "Not now. Get to the lab, and we can head into your office."

"Right," Rose replied, slightly confused. "I'll only be a second. You wait here. I'm afraid it's authorised personnel only in here."

Zack nodded and took his post by the door. "Fine, but hurry."

Rose frowned and pushed open the door, letting it close firmly behind her, taking a deep breath as she entered to calm her nerves after the shock they'd received.

Little did she know that she'd just taken a very deep breath of carbon monoxide.


	5. Living Dangerously

_Disclaimer: I own nothing apart from the ceiling tiles._

_Replies: _

_Ali-Chan: Alright, alright! It was a big cliffhanger! And I'm afraid I've left this one at a bit of a hanger as well. Still, you'll get used to it...:P._

_Hanging.by.a.moment: Aye, I know! Another cliffhanger! Grins. Still...yeah, still...! Carbon monoxide, I know. The one gas I could think of apart from chlorine at one in the morning. :)_

_Reichenbach: It's not going to finish for some time:P I'm enjoying myself here! But I will be revealing more as this goes along._

_Saimhe: Keep reading, keep reading! I know, I tossed in a spanner. Or a wrench. We call 'em spanners here. :)_

_Meryet: Fast updates coming your way. I 'spect there'll be another one up tonight._

_Hannah: Poor Rose, I know! You'll realise why it's in the lab in a minute when you read this – and I have left you guys clues in the last couple of chapters as to how the monoxide came to be there:)_

_A/N: Well, here's another one. A little late in the day, I know, but I have a social life to keep up with:) Sorry, there's another cliffhanger here...but I enjoy writing 'em! Enjoy!_

_Dedication: Dedicated to Nancy, who is my coffee-and-cake pal and who I had a wonderful day with today. :)_

Moving On

Living Dangerously

As Rose took another step forwards, she could tell that something was wrong with her. Her lungs had filled with something that was burning her, and she felt light-headed and sick. There was a strange choking smell in the room, and over in one of the corners, there was a small fire which was spreading rapidly. Screwing up her eyes against the stinging gas, Rose peered through the flames to attempt to find out what had started the fire, and realised that the pot which contained the chemicals she'd been using before she was called to Reception had overturned, and the contents were spilled all over the workbench. She gasped again, and took another deep breath before she realised that she could be breathing in the dangerous fumes in the lab. Crossing the room with her hand held over her face, she fought the flames to reach the pot so that she could put the lid on and reduce the danger for everyone in the building. She didn't spare a thought for herself – only knew that she had to protect her friends and fellow workers.

Outside, the Captain was becoming rather impatient, and was sighing and staring around. The building was clean and whitewashed but, in his opinion, it needed a bit of colour and some displays – perhaps some abstract art or a display case or two. True, this was Torchwood, but still...he was into flashy things; big exhibitions and impressive displays, and felt that the bland corridors were rather lacking in style.

Rose was becoming desperate for air now, but she'd reached the pot, and quickly she got to work in placing the lid back over the top. The flames were licking at her fingers as she picked up the scalding tongs and replaced the lid – and she was glad that she'd at least managed to contain some of the chemicals before the lab exploded. However, there was still the problem of the chemicals on the workbench. Rose considered her options for a moment. A few years ago, she just would have run, run as fast as she could away from here, but now, she wasn't so sure. She remembered the Doctor's way of putting others before himself, and knew that he'd have risked his life to ensure that the lab wasn't destroyed, and that people didn't die with it. Her eyes streaming, Rose picked up one of the specially developed cloths and began to scrub at the worktop to get rid of the chemicals. The fire extinguishers were at the other side of the room, and there was no way to reach them quickly, so Rose tucked her hair inside her collar to ensure that it wasn't singed, and got to work.

Five minutes later, Rose's visitor knew that something was wrong inside the laboratory – partly from the flickering lights and odd smell that was seeping out through the door, and partly because Rose had said she would be back...and wasn't. Bracing himself, he made to open the door, only to realise that it seemed to have been locked from the inside. Bending down to examine the locks, he realised that the hinges had fused with the heat, and that the door had in effect melted into the doorframe. There would be no easy way to open the door.

Luckily, the Captain was prepared. Whipping out a highly powered shotgun, he blew a large hole in the door as fast as he could, before reaching in, placing his shoulder against the remains of the door and forcing his way through into the chaos inside the laboratory.

The first thought that struck him was that he couldn't see Rose. There were no figures in the room; nobody was around that he could see. Then, very slowly, he looked down – and spotted the small shape on the floor; Rose's unconscious form. He ran towards her and quickly scooped her up from where she lay, carrying her in his strong arms out of the lab. On his way out, he jabbed his fist at the alarm, and was amazed to see a safety-door start emerging from the top of the doorframe. It only took him a few seconds to realise that they probably weren't going to make it out in time.

The Captain ran as fast as he could with Rose bundled in his arms, but he had given up before he even started. The door closed on them silently, and there was no way to force his way through. Panicking, he stared around the room, looking for a way out. There was the window – but they were too high up, far too high to jump. Another door – but that had been sealed off. The Captain looked up, and suddenly had an idea. Placing Rose down as far away from the chemicals as he could, he hauled a chair closer and jumped on top, reaching up as far as he could and pushing hard on the ceiling tiles. It was just as he thought – he could get through.

There was, however, the slight problem of Rose. The ceiling tiles were huge, and if one dropped out, it could seriously hurt her. There was no way of waking her up, and the Captain wasn't sure he could hold her above his head enough to push her through. He was very much on his own...unless...

Quickly, he ran over to the box of white coats and grabbed a couple, twisting them in his hands and tearing them into strips as he sprinted back to Rose. The coats were long, and the strips were made out of strong material. Working quickly, he fastened the strips of cloth to his arms and back, making a sort of sling, before hoisting Rose onto his shoulders and tying her securely with the strips. The ceiling tiles were large enough for them both to slip through one of the holes left when the tile was removed, although Captain Harkness would have to be careful as he squeezed through the gap. Still, it was worth a try.

Rose's head lolled as he stepped up onto the chair, and jumped as quickly as he could – and as high as he could – while trying to support Rose's lifeless form. He made it – just. Clinging onto the next tile along, he kicked up off the chair, managing to knock it over as he did so, and swung himself through the gap. Now his shoulders and half of Rose's body was through, but the lower half of him was still dangling dangerously out of the gap in the ceiling. There was no way that he could back out now – if he jumped down, he would crush Rose and most likely kill her – if she wasn't dead already – and if he couldn't get through...

It was hot up here, far hotter than it had been at floor level, and the Captain could feel sweat running down his forehead as he attempted to lift his full body weight – along with Rose's – up through the gap in the tiles.

After several tries, he was successful, and managed to hook his legs through the gap in the ceiling and haul Rose up after him, quickly replacing the tile before the gases could escape into the shaft they were in. It was pitch black, and there was no way of telling which way to go now. He put his head next to Rose's chest and listened. She was barely breathing and her heart rate had slowed to a dull beat that didn't sound hopeful. However, she wasn't dead yet, and there was still a chance that he could save her.

The shaft sloped sharply down to the right, and the Captain could see that this was the only way down. Holding Rose carefully in his arms, he took a deep breath – and jumped.s


End file.
